SIDS: Swaddling may increase risk

Swaddling is commonly believed to help infants sleep better by soothing and comforting them. But a new study suggests that swaddling, the practice of wrapping a baby in a blanket and restricting the child’s movement, may actually increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.

Researchers at the University of Bristol in England reviewed four recent studies on the relationship between SIDS and swaddling. Their conclusion: Swaddling increases the risk of SIDS by about one-third. Breaking down the risk by sleeping position, swaddled babies with:

Greatest risk slept on their stomachs

Lesser risk slept on their sides

Lowest risk slept on their backs

The study said the risk of SIDS seems to grow as an infant learns to turn over, a developmental milestone that usually occurs at around 4 to 6 months of age. Because there are few studies on the subject, the researchers said more work needs to be done to draw any definitive conclusions.

Cause of SIDS

The cause of SIDS is unknown, but many doctors and researchers believe it may involve:

Problems with a baby's ability to wake up

The inability of an infant’s body to detect a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), SIDS is most likely to occur between 2 and 4 months of age. SIDS occurs in boys more often than in girls, and most cases occur in the winter. The NIH says things that may increase the risk of SIDS include:

Sleeping on the stomach

Soft bedding in the crib

Being a twin or a triplet

Premature birth

Having a sibling who had SIDS

Mothers who smoke or use illegal drugs during or after pregnancy

Being born to a teen mother

A short time between pregnancies

Late or no prenatal care

Living in poverty

SIDS prevention

To reduce the risk of SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics makes these recommendations:

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